Europe Asia News

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made a statement regarding the Pe-de-Meia program.

Lula said the program was introduced as a solution to an unacceptable problem, noting that around 500,000 students leave school every year before completing high school. He said a significant number of these students interrupt their education to contribute to their family income, which could lead in the medium term to more precarious jobs and fewer opportunities for social mobility.

Lula said the Pe-de-Meia program, launched in 2023, has benefited 7.3 million young people to date and encourages students to participate in the National High School Exam (Enem). Under the program, students receive up to a total of 9,200 Brazilian reais over three years.

Lula announced that since the implementation of the program, the high school dropout rate has fallen by 61 percent, while the dropout rate in public schools has declined to 2.5 percent, the lowest level in history, and educational delays have decreased by 28 percent.

Lula also addressed the program's potential contribution to the Brazilian economy, saying that an increase in the number of students completing high school could generate an economic benefit of 184 billion Brazilian reais for the country. He noted that this amount is approximately 15 times the annual cost allocated to the program by the Ministry of Education.

Lula described the Pe-de-Meia program as a goal-oriented public policy that delivers tangible results for young people and society.